Due to busy schedules, long work days or little ones, cake baking and decorating often needs to be done in advance. In order to avoid the stress and pressure of last minute work, we advise that you freeze your sponges.

Whilst many people will be shocked, if not outraged, by this suggestion, we have practised this method for years at Twins Wedding Shop. Cook your sponges a day, a week or even a fortnight in advance and once removed from the oven, leave to cool completely. Next, loosely wrap in greaseproof paper (can be found in our shop or any good supermarket) and place in your freezer.

On the day you wish to decorate your cake, remove the cake early in the morning. The freezing process will not only prolong shelf life, but also firm up your sponges. Firmer sponges are easier to carve into intricate shapes and easier to decorate.

Please do not worry. Freezing does not affect the taste or texture of your cake (as long as you use a good Madeira recipe in the first place). Freezing sponges in advance simply makes cake decorating a little less stressful!